The Mizzou defense enters Saturday’s game against the very potent Auburn offense, having allowed a total of 51 points in its last four outings. The Tiger defense is one of just three in the nation that has not given up more than 28 points in any game in 2013. The most points allowed this season by Mizzou has been 28 points, by both Indiana and Vanderbilt. The other defenses who have allowed a maximum of 28 points in 2013?  Michigan State and Stanford.
However, will the defense be up to the task of slowing down Auburn, an offense that has only been held to fewer than 24 points just twice.  Both games came in consecutive weeks in September. On the 14th in a 24-20 win over Mississippi State and then the following week, a 35-21 loss to LSU. Mizzou’s defense ranks 14th in scoring defense, allowing an average of 19.4 points per contest.
TJ Fenske joins me to break down the defense of both teams on this Google Hangout.
One player to watch: Mizzou’s All-American hopeful DE Michael Sam enters the Auburn game leading the SEC and ranking tied for eighth in the nation in QB sacks (10.5 total). He also leads the league in TFLs (1.50 per game/18.0 total), ranking tied for 11th nationally. Sam has been named a finalist for both the Bronko Nagurkski Trophy (most outstanding defensive player) and Rotary Lombardi Award (lineman of the year). He is a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year), and is on the watch list for the Hendricks Award (defensive end of the year).
Sam is 1.5 sacks away from becoming Mizzou’s all-time single-season leader, with former Tiger Aldon Smith’s 11.5 sacks in 2009 currently standing as the top mark…
